At a glance
Noun をはじめとする Noun means "[group], including / led by [a leading example]". It is used in formal speech and writing to name one representative member of a larger group.
[Representative noun] をはじめとする [Group noun]
日本をはじめとするアジアの国々が会議に参加しました。 Asian countries, including Japan, took part in the conference.
How to form it
This expression attaches only to nouns. The first noun is the leading example. The second noun is the group that contains it.
| Form | Attaches to | Followed by | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| をはじめとする | Noun | Noun | 東京をはじめとする大都市 |
| をはじめとした | Noun | Noun | 東京をはじめとした大都市 |
| をはじめとして / をはじめ | Noun | Clause (often after a comma) | 東京をはじめ、多くの都市で雨が降った。 |
The register is formal. The expression itself does not change for polite or casual speech. Only the end of the sentence changes.